On the surface, Yara is the picture of a modern Palestinian woman. He marriage could be classified as arranged-lite, she has her own career, doesn’t wear a hijab, is raising two adorable daughters, is living in North Carolina in the opposite of an insular community, and showers with her husband nightly. But each day is the same and when she attempts to mix things up, she receives pushback that makes her realize perhaps the freedom she thought she had is an illusion. She has convinced herself her life is so much better and more “American” than her childhood that she has repressed any feelings or memories that say otherwise. But when an incident at work sparks her anger, she must address the past. Her whole life may collapse as a result, but it just may be worth it.
Rum’s novel tackles many of the same themes as A Woman is No Man, but this one feels less explosive. Both books explore the expectations set for Palestinian women, the difficulty of straddling modern and traditional worlds, and releasing generational trauma. Fadi is revealed to be bad for Yara, but not because he abused her…he’s just a scrub. And discovering that she deserves more – better – is beautiful.
3.75 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: June Shine hard kombucha
Peaches to Apples 